Psalm 91:12-13, “12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot”

Recently a pastor was killed by snake he had handled for long, his dad was also killed by a snake he handled. They took this verse in the bible to justify their handling of snakes, Mark 16:17-18, “17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; …” While this verse is true, it’s not set for us to use to look for trouble, it applies to believers who trouble finds. Paul in Acts 28 had a viper (snake) fasten around his wrist while he was setting fire, vs. 5, “But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him…”. Paul was not looking for trouble, trouble found him and in that, the vs. in Mark 16 was applicable to his situation.

In continuing with the ministry of the angels, the psalmist says vs. 12, “In their hands they shall bear you up, …”. “They”, that is the angels, God’s own angels, shall cheerfully become our servants ministering to us as instructed by God. Listen to Christ confirming this when they arrested him and his disciples, Peter in specific pulled out his sword to defend Christ, He said Matthew 26:53”.. do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?”. This was right after being in the garden of Gethsemane praying God’s will to be done. At His very weakest, darkest, troubling times the bible says Luke 22:43,” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him”. Jesus described in the book of Hebrews as above all angels was ministered to by an angel sent by God the Father. God sent an angel to minister to Daniel in the lions’ den, Daniel 6:22, “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.” Peter in prison was freed by an angel, Acts 5:18-19, ”18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. 19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, …”

They don’t come in their own accord, they have no power of their own. The strength and power of angels is to carry the saints in their hands; their tender care of them. Such as a parent or nurse have of children; the helpless condition of the people of God, who are like infants, and need to be dealt with after this manner. The angels take such an office on them, in submission to the will of God. The constant view they have of the saints, being always in their hands.

“…Lest you dash your foot against a stone 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot” “as the Israelites, when they travelled through the wilderness, in which were serpents and scorpions; and many of the servants of God have been delivered from them, or have slain them, as Samson, David, and Daniel; and so Christ was among the wild beasts in the wilderness, and yet not touched or hurt by them; and his disciples had power given them by him to tread on serpents and scorpions, and to take up serpents, without receiving any damage from them; and when a viper fastened on the hand of the Apostle Paul, he shook it off, without being hurt by it; see Mark 1:13, Acts 28:5, it may be understood figuratively of Satan, who, for his voraciousness and cruelty, is compared to a lion; and, for his craft and subtlety, to a serpent, 1 Peter 5:8. The young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample underfoot; which also may be understood of the great dragon, the old serpent, called the devil and Satan; whom Christ trampled under his feet when he hung on the cross, and spoiled him and his principalities and powers; and who, in a short time, will be bruised under the feet of his people, as he has been already by the seed of the woman, Genesis 3:15.” John Gill. May God send His ministering angels when we find ourselves in the lions’ dens, in prison, under pressure, under pain etc. to minister to us. May He charge His angels over His children.Blessings Ev